Who are through in Champions League 2024-25: What to expect?

The Champions League 2024-25 was known for its notorious format but at the moment, the notorious format has got the fans rooting for the same. From the predictable passes to the bigger teams to giving all teams one shot to qualify, the format has come a long way.

The 2024-25 group stage games are over in the continental showdown and the top eight teams have been drawn. With the other 16 teams vying for the spot in the Round of 16, here are the top things you can expect in the upcoming days of the season: 

The usuals qualify from Gameweek 7: A “Lille” Surprise 

When we compare the final standings to the standings after matchday 7, there are no significant changes in the team that made it to the automatic qualification. Liverpool were the only unbeaten team in the tournament, and they faced defeat by PSV in the final game. On the other hand, Barcelona and Arsenal kept their place in the top 8 without any change.

The surprise was when Atalanta, with a significant goal difference, dropped out of the top 8 as they failed to register a win with Lille sneaking in the final moment. They needed a huge win and they achieved it with a 6-1 win. Aston Villa managed to stay in the top 8 and qualify automatically for the next round. 

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester City: Save their graces

After the initial matchdays, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City were on the verge of knockouts but the campaign got revived midway, pushing them for the playoffs rather than an automatic qualification. Despite that, Manchester City needed a win to qualify for playoffs. With Club Brugge scoring first, Cityzens’ qualification was at stake but the second-half comeback ensured they went through. With the heavyweights in the second half of the table, it makes the tournament interesting and the teams with the highest wins look out for the opposition.

Teams that failed to get across the line: Dinamo Zagreb and VfB Stuttgart rue their missed opportunities 

With the new model, “Swiss Model”, the smaller teams had the higher chance to qualify compared to the group stages that existed previously. Going to Matchday 8 of the Champions League, Sturm Graz, Sparta Praha, Crvena Zvezda, Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk were mathematically ruled out of the competition. Dinamo Zagreb and Stuttgart had a chance to qualify for the next round with a win. 

However, what it panned out for both the teams did not live up to the standard. Zagreb needed a big win against AC Milan whereas VfB Stuttgart just needed a draw against Paris St Germain to get through the line. Though Zagreb registered a win, it was not enough on the final day as they finished 25th on the table. On the other hand, Stuttgart bowed out of Paris St Germain, allowing them to qualify instead of themselves going through. 

What to expect in the second half of the Champions League 2024-25 campaign? 

In the new format of the UEFA Champions League, teams ranked from ninth to 16th will be made as seeded teams whereas on the other hand, the 17th to 24th team will be considered as unseeded teams. The unseeded team will host the home leg first before the unseeded team hosts the opposition on the 18th/19th of February. There will be no away goal rules that will be applicable. 

Based on the predetermined pairings for the Round of 16, here is how it could pan out:

• Pairing A: 1/2 vs. Winner IV
• Pairing B: 3/4 vs. Winner III
• Pairing C: 5/6 vs. Winner II
• Pairing D: 7/8 vs. Winner I

Playoffs schedule: Potential Opponents in the phase two of the tournament

Key Dates for Champions League 2024-25

With playoffs and knockouts nearing, the key dates of the tournament include:

Draw for the playoffs: 31st January

Playoffs: February 11/12 and February 18/19

Draw for the Round of 16: February 21

Round 16: March 4/5 and March 11/12

Quarterfinals: April 8/9 and April 15/16

Semifinals: April 29/30 and May 6/7

Finals: May 31